The Increasing Demands of Our Rapidly Enlarging Work
By Arthur G. Daniells
It is constantly being impressed upon us that the third angel's message is truly a world-wide message, and that there is connected with it an irresistible power pushing it on to the ends of the earth. New conditions calling for serious consideration and demanding an advance are constantly arising. We have scarcely met the demands of yesterday when new ones come pressing hard upon us. Thus the strenuous activity continues year after year. Those who have read the reports of the Loma Linda council that have recently appeared in the REVIEW, must have been deeply impressed with the large volume of administrative work that passed through that meeting. Not only was the amount large, but many of the measures were far-reaching in their scope. Some one remarked at the close of the council that it had been about as important as a General Conference session. In this note regarding the important measures adopted, I shall refer to the one making provision for strengthening the administrative staff of the General Conference Committee. As our work has extended to new continents and their various divisions, new responsibilities and a larger volume of work have come to the officers of the General Conference. At the last session of the General Conference the North American and European Division Conferences were organized to care for all the administrative interests within their territory. This was supposed to relieve the officers of the General Conference so that they could attend more easily and efficiently to the interests of the foreign fields outside of these divisions. It was arranged that the General Conference president should spend a year in Australasia and the Far East, and that the secretary should spend several months in Africa. These visits revealed not only the magnitude of the work already being carried on in these continents, but the numerous avenues open for us to enter, and the many pressing demands for more workers and means and for more of our personal service. The time we could spend in the fields and the help we could render were altogether inadequate to meet the requirements of the conditions we found. Immediately on our return to our homes we found pressing demands from South America and Europe for us to visit these fields. But there were reasons why we could not leave at once for these countries. It is necessary to spend some time at our offices and homes. Besides, there are not enough days in the year nor enough physical endurance in the human body to keep up such a pace. The brethren at the council recognized all these conditions and made provision for more general help. They elected Prof. W. W. Prescott general field secretary of the General Conference, and Prof. J. L. Shaw assistant secretary. These brethren are to devote their entire time to the general administrative work. No sooner had Professor Prescott been elected than he was requested to make an extended visit to South America in my place. He consented to do so, and sailed December 11. Brother Prescott accompanied Elder O. Montgomery, who was elected president of the South American Division Conference, which was partially organized at the Loma Linda council. They will attend the meetings of the Brazilian and the South American Union Conference sessions. A general meeting of all the leading workers in South America will be held in Argentina, for the purpose of completing the organization of the division conference, and adjusting all the affairs of the field to accord with the new organization. Professor Prescott will return home by way of the west coast, so that he can visit the brethren in the Chile Conference, in the Inca Union Mission, and in other places in the northwestern part of the continent. He will also attend a meeting of the West Indian Union Conference Committee at Panama, arriving home, if possible, in time for the spring camp meetings. The third angel's message is making most encouraging progress in South America. We shall all await with deep interest reports from the general meetings soon to be held in that division. The first of these conferences will be convening about the time this statement appears. Shall we not unite in earnest prayer for the special presence and blessing of God upon these important gatherings? Our brethren in South America have had strenuous work, and are still hard pressed. Let us remember them at the throne of grace. As assistant secretary, Professor Shaw will work in close association with Elder Spicer, in the office and in the field. His long experience in foreign lands especially fits him for this part of our work. He will share the toil and responsibilities connected with the visits to foreign countries. Only by these larger plans are we able to keep up with this rapidly growing work. A. G. DANIELLS.